fSeverus Snape sat in his office looking over the previous terms potions essays. All of them, with a few exceptions, were not very good. He turned over a paper and glared hatefully at the name printed at the top.

Harry Potter, bane of his existence. Why couldn't the boy stay out of his life for just one day? Not a day went by when Severus didn't hear his name or something to do with him. Of course, it was to be expected, him being who he was and all. The bloody boy who lived. Arrogant all the way.

Probably sitting on his throne leading

his poor muggle family to believe that he was more than a king.

As Severus was imagining Potter's grand home life, a knock sounded at the door. He pulled himself from his musings and shuffled his papers irritably.

"Enter," he said flatly.

The door opened and in the doorway stood Albus Dumbledore, Severus's mentor, father figure, and friend. Severus waved him in with a motion, noting the grave expression on the headmaster's face.

"Severus, I have received some news that you aren't going to like. Actually, it is the favor that I need you to do because of the news that I have."

Severus arched one black eyebrow and waited.

"There is someone who we all know and. love who needs our help. You have been in situations that enable you to help this person. You must put aside your hatred and bitterness because if you do not, you could ruin all hope that I have for him."

Severus was getting a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. He thought he knew who Dumbledore was talking about and it made him want to throw something. Curiosity tugged at his mind. Why would he of all people need his help over the summer holidays? Hadn't he just envisioned a lovely life for him with servants and anything he could ever want or need? Severus only waited for Albus to go on.

"I actually don't know if what I have heard is true, but I can not take the chance that it is. If it is, you, we will have a lot of work to do to heal his spirit. Do you know who I am talking about Severus?" asked Dumbledore already knowing the answer.

"It's Potter. But, why would he need my help? He would never trust me. And what in Merlin do you mean by situations that I am qualified to handle?" By now, Severus was getting angry. He thought he knew what Albus meant by that as well, but didn't want to think about it. After all of the years of trying to cover up his past, he would have to drag it out again. For Potter no less!

"Severus, I think you know very well what I mean. Harry is experiencing what you have experienced, maybe more. He has hidden it quite well over the years, but this has gone too far. I need you to go and help him, bring him back from the brink of breaking. I do not think he can take anymore."

"Who told you this information?"

"That is not for you to fknow. All you need know is that I need for you to go over to number 4 Privet Drive and get him out of there and back to Hogwarts."

"I don't have a choice in this do I?"

"I am not forcing you, but I am asking you as a favor to me to Help Harry."

Severus winced. When it was put that way, he could not say no. Albus had done a lot for him, given him his life back. He would save his golden boy.

***

Harry Potter lay on his bed sleeping. It was not a peaceful sleep however. No, last year's events at the department of mysteries plagued his dreams. He saw Sirius fall through the veil over and over. He heard his parents and Cedric Diggory blame him for their deaths. All of that became too much for the small boy and he woke up screaming. Instantly, he regretted his actions as several clicks and thumps announced the arrival of his uncle Vernon.

"You freak! How dare you make so much noise at this time of night in my house. No wonder Petunia never gets enough sleep. You are going to pay for this boy." Said Vernon in a menacing voice.

Harry tried to fight his uncle, but the two weeks of starvation and abuse had taken their toll on him. Vernon hit him for a few minutes but to Harry it felt like a few hours. He muttered insults as he methodically went about hitting Harry where he knew it would hurt. Those last two weeks had given the man insight as to what could hurt Harry the most.

Harry finally succumbed to unconsciousness. The pain was too much and Harry retreated into his mind. He wished that someone would come and rescue him, but his hopes were slipping away by the second.

Vernon had thrown out all of his letters and told Harry that if he didn’t send that bird away then she wouldn’t make it passed the count of five. Harry had sent her back to Hogwarts and no letters were given to Harry.

He always wondered if he would make it to his 16th birthday. For two weeks he had been beaten and starved. There was no warning either.

*Flashback*

Harry lay on his bed after completing the long list of chores his uncle had assigned for him. As he lay there, he thought about Sirius. Tears streamed down his face as he saw in his mind his god father fall backwards through the veil still with a smile on his face and his laugh ringing in the air. He was pulled from his thoughts by a slamming from downstairs.

“Damned people at work! I hate the lot of them! Think they can do that to me eh? No, I’ll show them. Why I…” Suddenly he stopped and it seemed that he was looking at something.

“Boy! Get down here this minute!” Harry jumped up and ran downstairs, nearly tripping over Dudley who was trying to listen. The threat on the Dursleys given by Madeye Moody seemed to have worn off. Harry could sense that whatever had happened at work was going to be blamed on him and his freakish ways.

“Boy! I have clothed you, fed you, put up with your freaky nature for the passed 16 years, and what do you do? You curse my company. Because of you, I am getting in trouble for not putting in enough orders for drills! No food for a week and double the chores for you!”

*End Flashback*

And so it had gone for two long weeks. He had had no food the first week and not enough to feed a mouse the second. His uncle had beaten him and even let Dudley have a go at him a few times. Petunia did nothing.

As Harry lay there, he thought about his life. What did he have to lose by ending it all? His friends, his life, and Hogwarts. Also there was the fact that he had the prophecy hanging over his head. He had to live for others, not himself. It was sad, but it was reality.
***
Severus walked down Privet Drive, scanning the numbers on the doors. He could not believe that Albus was making him do this. He must have his own reasons though. That old man had a reason for everything he did.

Spying the number he needed, Severus walked purposefully up the drive, his black cloak billowing behind him. The house looked nice enough.

‘Maybe my thoughts about a nice life weren’t wrong.’ Severus thought ruefully as he reached up his hand to knock on the door.

The door opened and Severus stared at a fat boy, about the size of a baby killer whale. Briefly he wondered how Harry could be so skinny if this boy was so big.

“I am here to see Potter,” He said in as polite a voice as he could. Severus was surprised when the boy leapt back and slammed the door, howling about freaks. Then the man of the house came. He was not as fat, but there was plenty of meat on his bones.

“Get away from my house! You are nothing but a freak! There is no Harry Potter here and that’s all, now go away!” Severus did not like being called names, and he knew Dursley was lying about Potter.

“If you don’t step back from the door and let me inside to see Potter, you and your family will regret ever being born. Believe you me, I can make it so. I know spells that can give you pain until you can not handle it, and then some. All the while, you will be alive to suffer,” Severus said in his most dangerous voice. If the situation weren’t so serious, Severus would’ve laughed at the way Vernon fell over himself to get out of the way.

Looking around the too neat house, Severus thought he heard something upstairs. He was about to go and check when a horsy faced woman came into the room.

“What have you done to my husband! You freak! How dare you! I…” Flicking his wand, Severus pointed it at Petunia.

"I’ll give you a chance to tell me where Potter is. If you don’t tell me, I may just do what I told your husband over there. If you want to know the details, I give you permission to ask him. Now, where, is, Potter,” he said in a voice reserved for his victims during his death eater days.”

"He.he’s upstairs, l.last door on th.the left,” stammered the boy. ‘Good lad.’ Thought Severus as he headed up the stairs.

Looking around, Severus could see four rooms. Opening the first, he could see a bed and some nice furniture. The second one held lots of toys scattered haphazardly over the floor and any other surface. The room after that on the right was a bathroom. The last one on the left sparked some interest.

Many locks were on the door, as if to keep someone in. Severus had a bad feeling that he would not like what he was about to find. Stepping forward, he unlocked the six or so locks with his wand. The locks were disengaged and the door swung open soundlessly.

Looking around, Severus could see that the window in the room had bars on it and a thick curtain. Little light penetrated the place. Also, he could sense the pain, sadness, and fear. The smell of old blood and fresh was like a slap to the face for Severus. It took him back to his death eater days when the end of a victorious battle was in sight.

Bringing himself back to the present, Severus looked around for Harry. An old mattress sat in one corner with a dirty sheet. There was a slight bulge under the sheet and he thought that the boy had to be there. A bucket sat across from the mattress for an obvious reason. Apparently the Dursleys had not let him out for any excuse.

“Potter,” Severus called softly. The boy didn’t twitch so he went back to his old methods.

“Potter!” This elicited a strong reaction. Potter leapt up and backed as far away as he could get. His skinny arms were trying to protect his face, as if he were expecting to be hit at any moment.

It struck Severus then just how small Potter was. His arms were like sticks and his face was pail and sickly looking. He looked like he could fall dead at any moment. Had he really made a mistake in assuming that this boy, the savior of the wizarding world had a grand life?

Severus knew that this was similar if not worse than his own childhood had been. Harry, no, Potter needed help, but he would be damned if he would let him into his heart.